Many of us have been remote working for a while now, and many more will be joining the ranks as the country locks down.

Remote working has its perks. You can wake up a little later, work in your pyjamas, and make lunch in your own kitchen where the fridge isn’t communal and doesn’t inevitably contain a three-week-old egg sandwich.

That said, for many, checking into the office is still a thing, which means that daily video conferences will become the new normal.

The first thing to remember about a video conference is that your colleagues can see you. This sounds like common sense, I know, but apparently some people need to be reminded.

IOL with a cautionary tale about what not to do with your webcam is on.

One US worker who goes by the name Jennifer forgot about the logistics of her Zoom conference call when she started walking away from her desk while carrying her laptop.

Jennifer proceeded to take a quick bathroom break, placing her laptop at the door, at exactly the wrong angle.

In the video below, you can watch Jennifer live out what is probably the most embarrassing moment of her life. Watch the square, second down, on the left of the computer screen.

Prepare for peak cringe:

Poor Jennifer, she’s not used to this new life yet. 😂 😂 😂 pic.twitter.com/rHqGtITNSz

— Mike Y (@ybamik) March 21, 2020

Poor Jennifer.

I have a feeling that many awkward moments are going to play out over the next few weeks, as people leave microphones and webcams on, or forget that they’re not wearing pants before getting up to fetch something.

Here’s what to do to prevent your own embarrassing faux pas:

• Mute your microphone when you’re not speaking so no one can hear your television or screaming child in the background.
• Only unmute and speak when absolutely necessary, as delays in the feed can make conversations, particularly with big groups, difficult.
• Make sure you camera is turned off if you’re away from your computer and doing something else, such as going to the bathroom.

All of this boils down to one simple rule:

Don’t be like Jennifer.

[source:iol]